


Acoustic Heartbeats

by GreenGoofmon



Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, Fluff, street musician Tobin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:14:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27337762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreenGoofmon/pseuds/GreenGoofmon
Summary: A tall man moved out of the way and Christen suddenly found herself only a few feet away from an utterly stunning brunette woman. The singer wore a flashy orange cap to keep her long, wavy hair out of her face and smiled blindingly as someone put a generous tip into the suitcase she’d placed in front of her.Badass PR agent Christen Press falls for the soft eyed, dreamy street musician.
Relationships: Tobin Heath/Christen Press
Comments: 28
Kudos: 213





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This idea has been on my mind for a while and needed to get out.
> 
> Please let me know what you think and if you're interested in reading more of this :)

“No Andrew, nothing that paparazzi said justified that punch!” Christen argued with one of her famous clients and rubbed her temples in annoyance. It wasn’t that she couldn’t understand the aversion against those intrusive reporters but this was a PR disaster that they needed to sort out immediately. 

“I’ll prepare a statement and send it to your manager for approval,” she sighed and ended the call. It was already dark outside and most of her colleagues had left for the day. She opened her window, breathing in the cold air to clear her head. Fall was definitely around the corner. With a nod to herself she sat back down and grabbed her keyboard.

_Time to get started and fix this mess..._

The door swung open and Christen’s eyes widened at the sight of her fiancée’s dejected but determined stare. A quick glance at the clock confirmed that she should’ve met her at the restaurant for their date night around two hours ago. _Fuck._

“Allison- I’m so sorry! I know, I was supposed to meet you at the restaurant but a client-“

Allison held up her hand and shook her head. “Stop. I don’t want to hear your apologies anymore,” her voice cracked. “I don’t know why I even thought marrying you was an option. You’re married to your job, Chris. There is just no room for me and I deserve better.” With that she took off her engagement ring and put it onto Christen’s desk. 

“Take care of yourself, don’t work too long,” she said with a sad smile and left without looking back.

A part of Christen wanted to jump up and ran after her, beg her for forgiveness but she was right.  
Allison did deserve better and Christen couldn’t offer her that. Her job _was_ demanding. Being available 24/7 was essential for a good PR agent and Christen prided herself to be one of the best in England. 

A strange sense of relief rushed through her as she eyed the ring Allison had left behind. Maybe it was better this way. Now she wouldn't have to worry about work emergencies during date nights. Her phone rang and forgotten was everything else again.

***

“Chris! What the hell are you still doing here?” the voice of her boss interrupted her a few hours later.

Looking up from her emails, she rubbed her tired eyes behind her thick rimmed glasses. Becky leaned in the doorway, arms crossed in front of her chest. “Weren’t you supposed to go out with Allison tonight?” 

Christen winced at the mention of her now ex. “She uh... she broke up with me,” she explained quietly, her gaze wandering back to the ring that still laid on her table like a memorial for her failed relationship.

“Oh... I’m sorry to hear that,” Becky replied sympathetically. “You don’t seem too fazed though?”

Christen bit her lip and shook her head, debating on how much she should tell Becky. “I’m... relieved,” the dark haired woman admitted slowly, fiddling with her glasses. “Does that make me a bad person?”

Becky entered the room fully and sat down in one of the fancy leather chairs in front of Christen’s desk. She didn’t bother to close the door since everyone else had left the building hours ago. In the six years Christen had been working for her, they had formed a strong bond and Becky was one of the few people Christen still trusted. 

“No, it doesn’t,” Becky said after thinking about it for a moment. “To be honest, I’ve wondered for a while why you two were still together.”

What? Had it really been that bad? Had she not realized how their relationship fell apart? They had argued a lot more lately but everyone had ups and downs, right? Have there been warning signs and she had ignored them?

Christen furrowed her brows and picked up the ring. It felt heavy in her hand.  
“I- I didn’t know we were too far gone already,” she admitted and put the ring into her pocket. 

“When was the last time you’ve gone home before 9?” her boss inquired, fully aware that Christen wouldn’t know. 

Becky looked at her watch and got up. “Well, it’s time to go home now. For both of us. You’ll eventually find someone who makes you want to go home early, Chris. Someone who makes you truly happy.” With that her boss left the office, giving Christen a lot to think about.

She had been happy, right? Why else would she have stayed with Allison?  
How couldn’t she have been happy with an amazing woman like her? Their relationship had been easy and Christen had felt content around her. 

_Content._  
Maybe that was the problem. Groaning, she decided that it was already too late to think about this, gathered her belongings and put on her favorite jacket. 

The cold wind made Christen shiver as she stepped out of the “Sauerbrunn Publicity Inc.” building and turned left to take the scenic route by the river. She had barely walked 100 meters when a small crowd just around the corner caught her interest. A melodic, raspy voice reached her ears, accompanied by the sounds of an acoustic guitar and goosebumps erupted all over her skin. Wow, the singer had an absolutely beautiful voice. 

Curious to whom this unique voice might belong to, Christen walked over to the crowd and tried to get a glimpse of the woman singing. Just as she squeezed through the crowd, the song ended and people cheered. A tall man moved out of the way and Christen suddenly found herself only a few feet away from an utterly stunning brunette woman. The singer wore a flashy orange cap to keep her long, wavy hair out of her face and smiled blindingly as someone put a generous tip into the suitcase she’d placed in front of her. 

As the singer adjusted the capo on the guitar’s neck, their eyes met and Christen’s breath caught in her throat. Deep brown eyes kept her transfixed. Those watchful, tender eyes seemed to burn right through her. Without looking away from Christen, the singer's smile softened and she started her next song. 

_“This city's always moving  
Nothing stays still.  
Somebody's always leaving  
Somebody always will.  
There are airplanes  
Taking off and landing.  
Lovers left behind  
Without understanding” _

It felt like this woman was singing the song just for her. As if she felt Christen’s inner turmoil and chose this song. Rolling her eyes at herself for those ridiculous thoughts, she tore her gaze away from the singer’s face and watched instead how her long, nimble fingers changed the chords as she strummed in perfect rhythm. Christen stayed till the song ended, clapping along with everyone else. This woman was really talented. Hell, she had clients with less talent than this street musician. 

Only now that the song ended, Christen realized that her hands were already numb from the cold. It was time to finally head home.  
Freezing, she hurried home before the singer could start her next song. 

Once she was inside her apartment, Christen turned on the heating and took a hot, relaxing shower, still humming the melody of the song the street musician had sung. 

Her stomach growled loudly by the time she got out of the shower and slipped into her favorite pair of silk pajamas but she didn't bother to even open the fridge, knowing it was empty. She had planned to go out for dinner tonight after all.  
Grocery shopping was definitely a top priority on her to do list for tomorrow. 

Christen grabbed her phone to check her mails one last time and headed to bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song used in this chapter:  
> Cold in Ohio- Jamie Lawson


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the positive feedback!

The unrelenting, loud alarm clock woke her at 6:30 the next morning. With a groan, Christen got up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. She'd gone through the interview questions for one of their new top clients until 2:00 am and was supposed to meet said new client today. 

A look in the huge mirror confirmed her suspicions. Even her smooth dark skin couldn't hide the bags under her eyes. With a sigh Christen got ready for work. She straightened her hair, slipped into her 6,000£ pantsuit and made sure she wouldn't look like a raccoon the first time she'd meet up with her new client. 

Becky had been very clear about the importance of their new client, so Christen was determined to make a good first impression. 

It was cloudy outside and the wind made the temperature feel several degrees colder than it actually was. After a quick stop at her favorite coffee shop, she headed into the office.

"Chris, finally!" An agitated Alyssa greeted her as she stepped out of the elevator on the top floor. "I've tried to call you several times! She's here! She came in early."

Christen fished the phone out of her pocket. 5 missed calls. Damn, it was on silent mode!   
"How long has she been waiting now?" Christen inquired, mentally preparing for the encounter with a celebrity in a sour mood.

"About 25 minutes?"

Christen nodded. That wasn't too bad. "Okay, thanks."

She strode confidently into her office. Her pink haired client was already comfortably sitting in one of the leather chairs.

"Good morning Ms. Rapinoe and welcome to London! My name is Christen Press," Christen introduced herself and shook the famous soccer player's hand.  
"I apologize for the delay. I didn't mean to keep you waiting." 

Megan Rapinoe leaned back in the seat as if she owned this place. "Okay a few things first: Please, just call me Pinoe and you're not late, Ms. Press. I just happened to be here earlier than expected. No big deal," she said with a shrug and smiled at Christen. 

The PR agent nodded, surprised by Megan Rapinoe's relaxed attitude. Of course she'd done her research about the soccer player and knew that she seemed to have an easy going nature but Christen had learned over the years not to trust those appearances lightly. A good image was usually the result of a hard working PR agency pulling the strings behind the scenes.

Christen loosened her stiff position a little. "Alright, Pinoe it is. Let's get down to business. I've already gone through the questions for your interview..."

The rest of the meeting went smoothly and Christen had to admit that she really liked the soccer player. The pink haired woman didn't seem to play a role which was seldom and made her job easier. 

The moment the elevator's doors closed behind Pinoe, Alyssa poked her head out of her office.   
"So? What was she like? She's so inspiring! I can't believe you just had the chance to talk to Megan Rapinoe for 90 minutes," she said excitedly. 

Christen shook her head at her colleague's worship of the soccer player but couldn't help but smile a little. 

"She's been... nice." 

Alyssa's face fell. "Don't tell me she's a bitch?"

"No, I meant that. She seems like a very kind person. A little impulsive, but not a diva," she answered thoughtfully. 

A shy grin was back on Alyssa's face. "Good. She's been such a role model."

"I'm still curious why she would choose us instead of a more sports focused PR agency though," Christen wondered out loud. Sauerbrunn Publicity Inc. had undoubtedly a fantastic reputation all over the world but their main business where usually actors, musicians and occasionally politicians. They've never had a professional athlete before. 

Alyssa shrugged and grabbed a sandwich out of the small fridge in her office and her daily crossword puzzle. "Want one? I'm taking a quick break."

"No, thanks. Audrey has called three times already while I was talking to Pinoe. I better call her back before she decides to twitter about her failing marriage again."

***

At 8:52 that evening Christen stepped out of the elevator and left the building.  
 _Ha! So much for not being able to get home before 9._  
But Allison would never know that she left the office earlier tonight. There was nothing waiting for her at her place except for more work and her tv. Maybe she should get a pet. One that could be left alone for the most part of the day and didn't want attention... a goldfish, perhaps?

As she went down the street Christen decided to just walk the longer way again, curious if the street musician would play at the same spot tonight. Christen rounded the corner and there she was again, sitting on a wooden box. Microphone in front of her, the fascinating woman worked with a loop pedal this time. She used the guitar's body to create some great percussion sounds and then started to play. Christen couldn't tear her eyes away from the musician's skilled fingers.

_"I know cuz it's black and white  
there’s no heat from a dying light  
and you’ve carried this thoughts for far to long."_

Christen's eyes met those brown orbs once again and this singer really knew what she was doing, how to keep the attention, cause it felt as if she was singing the lyrics once again just for Christen alone. 

_"A deep breath is the way it goes  
you can’t breath if your heart is closed."_

The PR agent chuckled to herself, breaking the eye contact and making her way out of the crowded area. It was a great talent the musician had that she gave her such a feeling. People around her clapped rhythmically and she could see a few younger women staring at the brunette with heart eyes. Time to head home.

***

"Chris! Why haven't you told us?" her sister's accusatory voice echoed through the headset.   
_Damn it!_   
She had completely forgotten to tell her family about Allison.

"I'm sorry Tyler! I have just been so busy, it's only been two d- wait a minute... how do you even know?" Christen asked with a frown.

"Dad ran into her mother at the grocery store. She said that Allison was back in the states now that you broke up. Are you okay?" 

Was she? Christen still didn't know for sure. She didn't feel that much different than before, which probably wasn't a good sign for how much the relationship with Allison had actually meant to her. 

"I'm... fine," she stated eventually, it wasn't a lie. It also didn't quite feel like the truth.

"Are you sure?" Tyler inquired softly. 

Christen sighed. "Yes, I'm sure."

"We miss you, Chris."

Suppressing another sigh, Christen didn't know what to say. London was her home now. She couldn't just come over for a quick chitchat. "I miss you, too. I'll be back for Christmas," she promised quietly. 

"Without your laptop?" Tyler asked sharply.

"You know that I can't-" Christen started but her sister cut her off.

"Whatever. Call dad soon, okay? He's worrying too. We all thought you'd be a little more affected by the breakup."

Christen nodded, then remembered that Tyler couldn't see her. "I will. Love you."

"Love you too." And with that, the line was dead. Christen took her glasses off and rubbed her temples. 

A knock on the door startled her. Becky entered her office.  
"I'm leaving for today. You did a great job with Megan Rapinoe yesterday. Her manager informed me that she seemed to be really satisfied with you. Well done, Chris!" Becky praised. 

"Thank you. Good night, Becky."   
Once again she left long after everyone else, even the cleaning staff had been gone for hours. A glance on the clock told her that it was already after midnight. 

As she wandered down the street and past the corner there wasn't any music playing. Too bad, she would've loved to listen to the street musician's calm and raspy voice today.

***

Although she generally was a morning person, Christen hated getting out of her cozy and warm bed. Especially now that the days were getting shorter and the temperatures dropped. Whoever told her that she'd get used to the cold had been lying. She glanced at her weather app and decided it was time to get her parka out.

The PR agent had just placed her usual coffee order as her phone rang. 

"Press." 

"Christen, darling!" She could place that slimy voice immediately. Monika Farrow. Famous beauty and lifestyle blogger and the queen of gossip in this city. This woman was someone to keep your distance from but Christen's job didn't allow that.

"Monika, it's been too long!" Christen lied smoothly, a fake smile plastered on her face that the other woman couldn't see. 

"I know right!" Monika's high pitched voice had Christen pull her phone several inches away from her ear. "Anyways, I'm calling because of one of your clients. Adrian G. My good friend Peter said that he's been into drugs lately. It seems like one of the larger tabloids got pics and will run the story tomorrow. Just thought you would want a heads up." 

Christen's grip around her phone tightened. "Which tabloid?"

"I'll mail you all the details."

Annoyed by this cryptic response, Christen rolled her eyes. "Thank you, Monika. We really appreciate your help."

"Always happy to help some friends out," she replied sweetly. "Maybe think of me the next time one of your famous actors gives a charity banquet."

_There it was._   
Christen had been waiting for the other shoe to drop the moment she accepted the call. 

"Of course." 

Rushing off towards Sauerbrunn Publicity Inc. before her coffee order was even ready, Christen first got in touch with Adrian G.'s manager and then with the musician himself. By the time he'd assured her that he didn't take heroin regularly and there wouldn't be any more pics, Christen had reached the office and also the end of her patience.

"Morning Chris," Alyssa greeted her with a frown. "You look like you want to strangle someone."

"I just might," Christen growled but her friend wasn't bothered. She waited expectantly until the PR agent had calmed a little. 

"I need to talk to Becky. Adrian G. got caught in a situation."

"So... drugs or women?" Alyssa guessed unimpressed. 

"Drugs." 

Alyssa's lips formed a thin line. "I see. Becky's still in a meeting but she should be out in a few."

The door to Becky's office opened just a few minutes later as two of London's top lawyers left. Christen waited until they entered the elevator before she walked over to Becky's office and knocked.

"Come in!" 

"Good morning, Chris. I hope you've got some good news," Becky joked as she saw Christen's serious expression. 

"Adrian G. got caught red-handed consuming heroin! They've got pictures. Clear pictures. One of my sources sent them to me. It will be all over the tabloids tomorrow."

A curse left Becky's mouth. Christen took a step forward, getting closer to her boss. "I think we should let him go. He's too unpredictable and the conversation I just had with him half an hour ago didn't feel like he's overthinking his lifestyle."

"He's one of our top clients. Letting him go could bite us in the ass in the long run," Becky pointed out, tapping with her pen against the desk as she thought about it.

"If we keep him any longer we'll have a dozen PR disasters within a month," Christen retorted. "And next time we might not get a warning."

Her boss put the pen away and leaned back in her seat. "You're too calm. What aren't you telling me?"

"Maybe I'm still hoping we can get rid of him and everything he stands for?" Christen answered with a wry smile. Becky raised a brow and gave her a pointed look.

"The person who'll run the story is an old acquaintance. He's still owing me a favor," Christen finally admitted.

"What about other tabloids? Are there more photos?" Becky inquired. 

"Not according to my source."

Satisfied with Christen's answer, Becky nodded. "Go and make sure they won't release the article. This is his last chance. If he fucks up again, we'll terminate the contract."

This wasn't the outcome she'd been hoping for but at least something. The question wasn't _if_ he fucked up but when

It took Christen almost two hours to finally get a hold of the person she'd wanted to talk to. He was as forthcoming as she had expected him to be.

_Let's get this over with._  
"You know Gerald, I remember that one time when you started off as a reporter-" Christen began in a chipper tone but knew he got the hidden meaning.

"Let's postpone the trip down the memory lane, Press," Gerald sighed into the phone. Christen smirked, knowing she'd won this round.

Another crisis averted. 

***

As she left the office late that evening, Christen wandered down to the river since she didn't feel like going home yet. Again the street musician wasn't at her usual spot. It was quiet and the crisp air along with the clear, dark sky made Christen feel as if she could finally breathe again. She sat down on a bench and tried to let go of the tension. 

“Beautiful night, isn’t it?” A familiar husky voice to her right asked softly, startling the PR agent.

Next to her stood the same street musician she had passed by on her way home the last three nights in a row. The woman looked at the moon’s reflection on the dark river. She had her hands in the pockets of her tight jeans, the guitar case casually swung over one shoulder. 

“Mhm,” Christen replied courtly, not really in the mood to have a conversation with this stranger after a long day from hell. She just wanted to sit here and enjoy the silence in peace. 

“I’ve seen you before. You came to watch me play a several times these last few days,” the woman continued, fiddling with the strap of her guitar case. 

“I merely walked past you on my way home,” Christen corrected her coolly, not taking her eyes off the twinkling reflections dancing on the water's surface.

The singer grinned. “Right. I’m Tobin, by the way,” she introduced herself.   
_Tobin._ What a strange, yet fitting name. Was that her real name or just a stage name?

Head tilted to the side, Tobin looked at her expectantly. 

“Christen.”

“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Christen,” the brunette answered in her raspy voice. _God, that voice._ Christen wasn't even sure if she preferred the musician's talking voice or her singing.

Tobin rummaged through the pockets of her coat, smiling brightly as she finally found what she was looking for. She held out a chocolate bar. “Here, you look like you could use this.”

Christen stared at her and Tobin chuckled. “Some of the kids tip me with chocolate and other candy,” she explained with a shrug.

Still blinking in confusion, Christen took the offered chocolate bar but didn’t make any move to eat it.

“Thanks,” she said eventually. “I should go home, I’ve got a lot of work to do.”

“Work? Didn’t you just come from work?” Tobin wondered with raised brows. 

As if on cue her phone rang. She held it up in the air. “My workday doesn’t stick to the normal hours. Goodbye, Tobin.”

“See you around,” Tobin shouted after her and waved as Christen accepted the call and stuffed the chocolate bar into the pocket of her jeans without another word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song used in this chapter:  
> Stay Stay - Ryan Sheridan 
> 
> Stay safe and see you soon!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone :)  
> It's been a while but I'm really excited to share this chapter with you. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy it! Thanks for all the kind words. Please let me know what you think?

Christen spent the following day mostly on the phone. An award show was coming up next weekend and she had to make sure her top clients would get interviews with the right reporters. She had to schedule interviews and had to send the questions to her clients, including a few appropriate lines they could use as an answer.

One colleague after another left the building until Christen was again the only person left. The PR agent worked, not even looking up from her computer as the cleaning lady vacuumed the dark blue carpet around her desk. She worked until the last bit of noises inside the building had faded away and the emergency lights turned on.

It was close to midnight as she finally decided to take a break. Her eyes hurt from staring at the monitor for too long and her neck felt stiff. So much for an ergonomic chair.

The PR agent stretched herself and stood by the large office window. She could see the spot where she had talked to the street musician the previous night. To _Tobin._  
The other woman had been very kind, even though Christen had been stressed and rude. Now that she thought of it, she felt a little bad for treating her the way she did.

Her stomach rumbled loudly, reminding her, that she hadn't eaten anything substantial all day. A quick trip to Alyssa's mini fridge in the hopes to find something to eat was fruitless. Sighing, Christen sat down onto the comfy leather couch that stood in the corner of her office. It was useless to go home now. She'd just take a quick nap here on the couch before going back to work.

Christen got up, grabbed her winter coat from the coat rack and curled herself up on the couch, using it like a blanket. It didn't take long for exhaustion to win, pulling her into a deep sleep after just a few minutes.

***

The loud bang of an office door startled Christen awake. The coat slipped to the floor as she looked around, slightly disorientated. She was still in her office. 

_Damn!_ Her short nap had apparently turned into a full night's sleep. Stretching out her limbs, she fought away the sleep.   
_Time to get some caffeine._

As the PR agent left her office, she almost ran into Alyssa and straitened heir wrinkled blouse quickly.

"Good morning," Christen greeted, trying to look as if she'd just arrived at work like everyone else.

"Morning Chris," Alyssa answered, eyebrows raised. 

Choosing to ignore her colleague,  
Christen grabbed one of her favorite mugs and prepared the coffee machine. 

"Same clothes as yesterday," Alyssa observed. "Seems like someone slept at the office again."

"What makes you think I didn't spend the night with a hot date?" Christen countered, pressing the button for a large latte. 

"Chris! I think you're supposed to place the mug below the opening before pressing the start button!" Alyssa laughed out loud, pointing at the mug that was... still in Christen's hands?!   
_Fuck. Fuck. Fuck._

"Seems like you're still half asleep."

The PR agent jumped over to the coffee machine, hastily putting the mug into place before the coffee could drip to the floor. 

"Okay, maybe I did sleep here last night," Christen relented with a sigh and wiped some coffee splatters off the counter.

Alyssa just gave her a knowing look, not bothering to reply. 

"Oh and Becky wants to see you. Apparently Megan Rapinoe wants another meeting with you later this week to discuss future career plans."

Grabbing the steaming hot latte, Christen nodded and strode back into her office.

***

"Chris? Hey?" A hand waved in front of her face back and forth. Snapping out of her trance, Christen looked up from the e-mail she'd been staring at the last five minutes without understanding a single word of it. 

Alyssa stood in front of her, a worried expression on her face. 

"Are you okay?" 

God, why was everybody asking her that?! She was obviously just fine.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Christen deflected the question which only made Alyssa arch an eye brow.

"Well, you've been left by your fiancée recently, you don't really have a social life outside of work, you constantly rub your temples and space out. Want me to continue?" 

Glaring at her, Christen shook her head. "No. Not necessary." 

"So? Wanna tell me what's on your mind?"

Sighing, the PR agent rolled back from her desk and got up. She looked out of the huge windows.

"Am I broken, Lys?"   
The question was just above a whisper.

"Are you asking me as a professional or as a friend?" Alyssa replied dryly.

Christen's lips twitched. "Both, I think."

Alyssa Naeher, who worked as the company's media psychologist, had been working as a very successful psychotherapist before she had joined Sauerbrunn Publicity Inc. 

Christen knew that the other woman did not always say what was on her mind or when she noticed things and part of her wished she wouldn't have this time either. 

"You're not broken."   
The words had Christen turn around again, somehow feeling the need to see the truth in her friend's earnest eyes. 

"Why don't you take a break?" Alyssa suggested, smiling encouragingly. "Just half an hour away from this office _and_ your phone."

Christen wanted to tell her 'no' but she caught herself as she was about to rub her temples again and stopped the movement. 

"I suppose a small break won't hurt," she agreed, earning a thumbs up and a grin.   
"I'll be in my office if you need me," Alyssa said and left the room.

Putting on her winter coat, a thick scarf and a pair of warm gloves, the PR agent went outside. The Californian native doubted she'd ever get used to the cold, pulling the scarf a little tighter around her neck.  
Christen had taken Alyssa's advise and muted the phone for the next 30 minutes but it already started to vibrate inside her pocket violently. It took all of her willpower to ignore it and just continue walking, trying to clear her head.

_But how do you clear your head when it already feels empty?_ The thought made her stomach churn unpleasantly. Her hand twitched, instinctively wanting to reach for the phone in her pocket but she decided against it. It felt like a challenge. A challenge to proof herself that she was able to be alone with herself for longer than 10 minutes. 

Reaching her favorite coffee shop, Christen followed the growl of her still empty stomach and ordered a large cup of her favorite coffee and a chocolate croissant. 

She was about to hand over the money as someone stepped forward. 

"I got it," the person said, paying for Christen's order.   
"I can pay for my own-" the words died on her tongue as she recognized the stranger. "Tobin!"

The street musician flashed her a toothy smile. "In person. Good morning, Christen." 

"Are you stalking me?!" She hadn't meant to sound so harsh but the phone in her pocket was again vibrating. The hand around her coffee cup tightened.

Tobin took a step backwards, raising her hands into the air. "Nope, I was just sitting over there, sipping my coffee when you walked in." She pointed over her shoulder with her thumb into the direction of a more secluded area. 

"But apparently you're not having a good morning. Sorry for bothering you," she said with a shrug. 

Christen watched as the other woman went back to her table. _Ugghhh!_   
Feeling like an absolute asshole, the PR agent walked over to the table where Tobin sat with her coffee and a worn out Harry Potter paperback.   
"Thanks for this," Christen said quietly and held up the croissant and the coffee. "You really didn't have to." 

She hoped her tone conveyed the unspoken 'Sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you' too. It seemed like Tobin understood. "You're welcome." 

Pushing the chair forward with a soft kick, the musician smiled at her. "Want to join me?"

Christen pulled out her phone to check the time. Still 17 minutes left. The long list of missed calls that were on the lock screen was worrisome. As she sat down, Christen gave it a once over, checking for anything important or signs of a potential PR disaster. When she couldn't find any on the spot, she put the phone down onto the table and pulled out her croissant.

"I've never seen you here before," Tobin told her and closed her book, her caramel eyes fully focused on Christen. 

"I usually work at this time of the day," the PR agent replied with a shrug. "I just took a quick break." The phone's display lit up again, drawing both of their glances towards it.

"Yeah, I can see that. Is there any time of the day you're not working?" Tobin asked with a chuckle.

"I- of course!" It wasn't a convincing reply but Christen was way too stubborn to admit the truth to this stranger. 

"What do you do for a living?" Tobin wanted to know, elbows propped on the table, resting her head on her hands. 

"I'm a PR agent at Sauerbrunn Publicity Inc."

Tobin's eyes widened. "Woah, no wonder you're constantly working. You guys are dope!"

Christen glanced at the street musician with interest. Of course she was well aware of that fact but somehow she hadn't expected Tobin to know about the company. They mostly operated in the background.

"What about you? Do you work as a full time... street musician?" 

Sitting up straighter in her seat, Tobin nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! I only came to London a few months ago to start out."  
 _Now that explains why I've never seen her before._

"Making music has always been my passion. The ability of touching people's souls, giving them hope or solace... it's just what I love," Tobin rambled, her eyes lighting up. 

It all sounded awfully romantic but Christen couldn't help but smile at Tobin's childlike enthusiasm. This woman certainly lived for music. It was another thing that set her apart from Christen's clients. Most of them made music for the money and fame. 

Christen opened her mouth to tell Tobin just that, as her phone lit up again. Becky's name appeared on the screen. That was never a good sign. The PR agent reached for her phone but Tobin was quicker.   
She held it out of Christen's reach, leaning back in her chair.  
"Hey, you're still on your break. Give yourself another few mins without this," Tobin suggested with a smile. 

But Christen wasn't having it. If Becky called her, shit was about to hit the fan.  
"Give me my phone back, Tobin! Some of us have an actual job to do," she hissed angrily.

The brunette let go of her smartphone immediately, looking like a kicked puppy. "You don't think what I do is a real job? I'm paying all my bills, just like you, Christen," Tobin stated with a frown. 

_Oh great, now I've offended her._  
"Look, I didn't mean to-" her phone vibrated again, interrupting Christen's apology. She checked the caller ID. It was one of her new clients.

Tobin grabbed her coffee and the book and got up. "You should take that, could be important."  
It didn't sound bitter but something in her tone made Christen pause for a second before she accepted the call.

***

When Christen walked home that night, she didn't even have to think about which way home to take. As expected, her favorite street musician performed at the same spot she always did. The crowd wasn't as large as usual due to the late hour but Tobin wasn't alone...

A dog lay at her feet, sleepily watching the passersby from its position.

Since when did Tobin have a dog?  
 _Not that you'd know anything about her. You didn't even give her 10 minutes of your attention._

The dog had blonde, soft looking fur and white paws. Its large ears twitched as Tobin sang. _God._ The dog was so cute! Christen would never admit it out loud but she absolutely loved dogs. She'd rather spend the day with a dog than with most humans. Dogs loved unconditionally, something humans didn't. 

Tobin ended her song with a soft sigh and thanked everyone who tipped her. When her eyes found Christen's, a huge grin spread over her face. The musician looked so happy that Christen could feel a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth as well.

_Seems like she isn't mad at me anymore._ A strange sense of relief flooded her. Once she got back to her office later that day, her mind supplied the hurt look on Tobin's face again and again, keeping her from being focused on the projects.

"That's it for today," Tobin announced suddenly and started packing up her things. Although Christen knew she should definitely head home as well, curiosity got the best of her.  
Putting her cold hands into her pockets, Christen waited for the other woman to finish packing up.

"Great performance!" a man complimented Tobin and left. Suddenly it was only the two of them. The dog eyed her curiously, head tilted to the side but stayed where Tobin had probably ordered. 

"Good boy, Mando!" Tobin praised, gave him a dog treat and scratched him lovingly behind his huge ears. 

"I didn't know you had a dog," Christen found herself saying as she walked over to them. Tobin smiled fondly at the dog before she looked up.

"How would you know? You don't even know my last name," she said playfully, her brown eyes twinkling.

That was true. She didn't know anything about this woman but... somehow she wanted to know more. Tobin felt like a mystery she couldn't solve. A person, who was so different than the fake world Christen worked in, where nothing was as it seemed. 

Mando wagged his tail excitedly, looking from his owner to Christen and back again.  
"Seems like he really wants to say hi," Tobin laughed. "Is that okay? Do you like d-"

But Christen already crouched down next to Mando, enthusiastically running her hands through his fluffy fur. The dog absolutely loved the attention, putting his paws on her knees.

"Awww... you're so handsome, Mando!" Christen cooed and the dog let out a happy yip. He nestled his head against Christen's hand and the PR agent's heart melted into a puddle. She almost forgot about his owner, who had now collected all her equipment and was ready to go. 

Clearing her throat, Christen got up, readjusting her scarf. 

"I wanted to grab some dinner on my way home. Would you like to join me?" the musician asked out of nowhere, catching Christen completely off guard. 

"Oh- no, I'm good. Thanks for the offer. I should head home now. There is this endorsement deal I have to look over and I really need to-"

"Never mind. Maybe another time then," Tobin interrupted her rambling and shrugged. "See you around, Christen. C'mon Mando, let's go home." 

The dog send one last longing glance towards Christen before he turned and followed his owner down the street. 

Standing there in the cold and empty street, Christen shook her head. She didn't want to end the conversation like this. Tobin was already several meters away when Christen shouted loudly. "Why Mando?"

Dog and street musician stopped in their tracks and turned around again and although it was dark and she couldn't make out the look on Tobin's face, Christen felt like she was smiling. 

"It's just a nickname. The shelter named him Amando. He seemed to like Mando better," Tobin shouted back and waved her goodbye.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! 
> 
> For those who are interested how I imagined Mando to look like, check out my tumblr greengoofmon for a picture. 
> 
> Stay safe :)


End file.
